WMO Says 2026 Is on Track for Top Four Hottest Years
Geneva, Switzerland
Yara Nardi/Reuters
What Happened
What Happened
Where Sources Disagree
- arrows_outputCOP31 Hosting Arrangements: Some sources identify Turkey as the sole host for the upcoming COP31 climate summit, while other reports clarify that the event is being jointly organized by Turkey and Australia, with Turkey serving as the official host and Australia leading the negotiations.
- arrows_outputSummit Outcome Expectations: Some sources suggest no major decisions or outcomes are expected from the COP31 climate summit, while other reports emphasize that delegates face significant pressure to develop new pledges for climate action.
- arrows_output1.5C Target Status: Some reports suggest the 1.5C climate target is now firmly out of reach, while other outlets frame the threshold as a goal established by the 2015 Paris Agreement that continues to guide international climate discussions.
Timeline
November 9, 2026
COP31 context and policy pushes: As COP31 opened in Antalya (Nov. 9–20), leaders were urged to cut emissions and accelerate transitions from fossil fuels; Turkey proposed voluntary initiatives including increasing electricity’s share of global energy (aiming for around 30% by 2035) and the COP presidency emphasized turning past commitments into concrete action. Delegates were expected to address finance for vulnerable countries and implementation of previous pledges.
November 9, 2026
Supersized El Niño worsens impacts: A powerful, ‘supersized’ El Niño was identified as amplifying extreme heat and weather, expected to peak in December and extend impacts into 2027; the report linked the event to widespread human harm — including an April heatwave that exposed an estimated 146.5 million people in India to extreme heat, European summer excess deaths of more than 30,000, and late‑August flash floods in Nepal that killed over 1,300.
November 9, 2026
Oceans, sea levels hit records: The WMO update found the planet is accumulating heat with ocean temperatures rising from 2025 highs, global mean sea level reaching record levels, sea‑surface temperatures setting monthly records, and continued rapid glacier loss alongside dwindling freshwater storage. June–August 2026 saw the highest sea level values since the start of the satellite altimetry era in 1993.
Summary by Ground AI
Sources
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Timeline
November 9, 2026
COP31 context and policy pushes: As COP31 opened in Antalya (Nov. 9–20), leaders were urged to cut emissions and accelerate transitions from fossil fuels; Turkey proposed voluntary initiatives including increasing electricity’s share of global energy (aiming for around 30% by 2035) and the COP presidency emphasized turning past commitments into concrete action. Delegates were expected to address finance for vulnerable countries and implementation of previous pledges.
November 9, 2026
Supersized El Niño worsens impacts: A powerful, ‘supersized’ El Niño was identified as amplifying extreme heat and weather, expected to peak in December and extend impacts into 2027; the report linked the event to widespread human harm — including an April heatwave that exposed an estimated 146.5 million people in India to extreme heat, European summer excess deaths of more than 30,000, and late‑August flash floods in Nepal that killed over 1,300.
November 9, 2026
Oceans, sea levels hit records: The WMO update found the planet is accumulating heat with ocean temperatures rising from 2025 highs, global mean sea level reaching record levels, sea‑surface temperatures setting monthly records, and continued rapid glacier loss alongside dwindling freshwater storage. June–August 2026 saw the highest sea level values since the start of the satellite altimetry era in 1993.
